A City Tour in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

the crocodile skin

Aside from the famous Underground River and beaches of Palawan, there are other must do and must see in the City of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. According to our tour guide in Honda Bay, a city tour in Puerto Princesa will only take five to six hours. So after our Honda Bay Island Tour, we quickly went back to the resort, take a quick shower and went off to our city tour.

The first stop of our trip is the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (PWRCC), formerly known as the Crocodile Farm and Nature Park. The place serves as a sanctuary to crocodiles, though there are also some animals that are being taken care of.  One of the main attractions of the PWRCC is the skeleton of a huge sea crocodile encased in a glass and at the wall behind the case is the skin of the said crocodile.

the large crocodile skeleton

The tour at the conservatory includes visiting the hatchling center, wherein the baby crocodiles are segregated from different level of maturity. The baby crocs are inside big white basins placed at the each side of the building creating a walk path in the middle where visitors pass through as they take a look of the crocodile. Visitors are prohibited to extend any body part into the basin as the crocodiles can leap from the basin. At the end of the hatchling center is a big cage where the big and crocodiles are kept. Above the cage is a metal bridge where visitors need to cross to get to the other end. After the crocodile den, visitors can visit the other animals being taken care of at the conservatory like the bear cat and cockatoos.

baby crocodiles

the teen-age

crocodiles

adult crocodile

Our next stop is Mitra’s Ranch. Mitra’s Ranch is owned by the former Senator Ramon Mitra. The place gives a perfect view of Palawan being on top of a hill. Aside from the good view it offers, the place also gave off a relaxing feeling. The grass surrounding the house is inviting that you will find yourself sitting on the ground while looking at Honda Bay.

the house at Mitra's Ranch

enjoying the view of the Honda Bay

Near Mitra’s Ranch is Baker’s Hill. This is a go to place if you want to buy pasalubong. They have a variety of hopias, cakes and breads. Upon entering Baker’s Hill you will be welcomed by various life-size figurines. The area is liked a theme park with full of statues and different kind of plants and birds. It also has a restaurant inside that allows tourists to dine. The place is relaxing and very nice to do a lot of your photo ops. 

the large house at Baker's Hill

Flower arrangements

Cockatoos at Baker's Hill

 Before going back to our resort we decided to go to the local church. It was already a habit for me and my friends to visit the local church to say our prayer for the safe journey and to light up some candles.

the church at Puerto Princesa

A Guide to Bataan

It seems like everyone I know is going to Bataan for the summer. The province of Bataan is well-known for the very historic Death March during World War II has now become a go to destination this summer. Aside from the rich history that Bataan offers, it also has its beautiful beaches to boast.

At the Balanga bus terminal

The travel to Bataan is approximately 2-3 hours. For commuters like me, you can ride a bus at the Five Star bus station in Cubao bound to Balanga. Fare is Php 200.00. There is a bus leaving for Balanga every fifteen minutes. The last stop of the bus is at the terminal at Balanga. The Balanga bus terminal serves also as the start off point in discovering Bataan. 

having fun while waiting for the shuttle

From the bus terminal, one can ride a tricycle to have a city tour of Balanga. Tricycle fare is php 10.00 per person. The places that you may want to vist in Balanga are their city hall, church and the mall whose architecture is very different from the malls in Metro Manila. At first glance you would not have thought of it as a mall, but because of the fast foods located at the ground floor and the elevator we realized that it was indeed a shopping center.

the town hall of Balanga

the shopping center at Balanga

the shuttle

Most of the resorts and beaches in Bataan are located in Bagac and Morong. There is a shuttle bound for Morong at the bus terminal. Fare up to the town of Morong is Php 65.00. Travel period from Balanga to Morong approximately 90 to 105 minutes.

During my last two visits in Bataan I opted to sit next to the driver to get a better view of the road. And this is also to ask questions about Bataan. Fortunately, the two drivers that I have talked to from my last two visits are very nice and accommodating. They gave us instructions and tips on how we can reach our resorts.

the road ahead

As I have mentioned, the trip is about 90 to 105 minutes, and the ride is a lullaby. Although the shuttle is non-air-conditioned, rusty and old, but because of the fresh air coming from the mountains and farms you will definitely get into a sleep. As much as possible don’t drowse into a slumber as you might miss seeing Mt. Samat, the different Death March landmarks and other beautiful scenery.

a view of Mt. Samat

palays drying up at the road

a marker of the Bataan Death March

Pangasinan Trip Day 2 - Hundred Islands

We had an early start for our 2^nd day in Pangasinan. Our itinerary for the day is the island hopping at the Hundred Islands in Alaminos. From Lingayen, Pangasinan we ride a bus going to Alaminos for more than an hour. The buses in Pangasinan are mostly non-airconditined, old and rusty, but the good thing about it is that you can feel a very provincial vibe. Upon reaching the town proper of Alaminos you need to ride a tricycle that will bring you to Lucap Wharf which will be your drop off point going to the Hundred Islands. Upon reaching the wharf, you will need to register at their office and they will accommodate you for your banca and guide.

Lucap Wharf

An important thing to remember when travelling to Hundred Islands is to travel light. Bring only the necessity. Not all the islands have cottages where you can leave your things; most islands don’t even have a restroom. As much as possible bring lots of water, an umbrella, a sunblock and your towel. There are islands that are exposed to the scorching heat of the sand and have no available shades. Assign on your group on who will be bringing the food, water, umbrella, etc.

Our very first stop for the Hundred Island tour is the Governor’s Island. This Island offers a beautiful bird’s eye view of the different islands. But before you can enjoy the wonderful scenery, you must first trek the island. At the middle of your climb you will already feel exhaustion, and sweat already streaming down your whole body. You will also need your umbrella upon reaching the top, since the heat of the sun will welcome you immediately. But all of these will be erased once you saw the beautiful scenery. The Governors Island is also the location of the house used by Big Brother Philippines aside from the one in Quezon City.

our boat at the shore of Governor's Island

bird's eye view form Governor's Island

The house used for Pinoy Big Brother

The Children’s Island is another island being sought by travelers. It has shallow water perfect for children, but it has rocks and the sand is not fine. It also has cottages, restrooms and small sari-sari stores that can cater to the needs of travelers. This island is always packed with people, and you will find it hard to find an available spot.

Another Island that is suitable for beach bummer is the Quezon Island. The island is ideal for campers and picnickers. We did not go to this Island as we can see from afar that it was crowded.

Another island where we dropped by is Cuenca Island. This island is not suitable for swimming as this is actually a cave. This island is popular for traveler because of the different rock formation inside the cave. The cave also offers a good view of the other islands.

the cave at Cuenca Island

Not all the islands can be explored, like the Turtle Island, Bat Island and Lonely Island to name a few because they don’t have a shore where the banca can land and the Lonely Island is very far away. You can ask your guide and boatman to bring you to islands that is suitable for swimming and with less people. 

The Bat Island

Turtle Isalnd

Unnamed and Undiscovered Islands

traversing the sea

Aside from the Hundred Islands, tourists can also enjoy the different souvenirs that the town of Alaminos can offer. The Count Hundred Islands monument at the Lucap Wharf is also an eye-catcher for tourists.

Count Hundred Island Monument

Pangasinan Trip Day 1 - El Puerto Marina Beach Resort & Spa

The Lingayen Gulf

It was almost a year when me and my friends went to Hundred Islands, Pangasinan. We always wanted to go to the town of Alaminos since one of our friends is from that town, but he is currently based in Hongkong. Since our patience is not that long enough to wait for him to come back in the Philippines, we decided to go to Pangasinan in May last year.

Our destination is Lingayen, Pangasinan, where our resort is located. Although the Hundred Islands is in Alaminos, we decided to have a stay in Lingayen because most resorts in Alaminos are expensive and are already fully booked. Luckily our resort has a beach front of the Lingayen Gulf.

Based from a past experience, travel time from Cubao to Alaminos is eight to nine hours. So we decided to leave early to avoid the traffic. We left at five in the morning and we reached Lingayen, Pangasinan at around eleven. We had our lunch first at the town proper before going to our resort. We did not indulge ourselves with something special to eat, as we just headed to the nearby Chowking.

After having our lunch we then ride a tricycle to reach the resort. Although there was a company team building ongoing at the resort, it is still not crowded as compared to other resorts. The resort’s amenities include a swimming pool, catering service, and tour to Hundred Islands.

After unpacking our things, we headed to the beach or the Lingayen Gulf. The sand is dark but it was so fine. We walked barefooted along the shoreline. It was a sunny afternoon but the breeze coming from the gulf is relaxing. As I look around, I noticed that the Gulf was untouched by the resort. There were huts and cabanas at the shore to accommodate the guests but aside from those there are no other structures. The water is also clean as you cannot find any trash floating around.

the cottages at the beach

enjoying the sand, beach and the waves on her birthday

The resort’s swimming pool is just small but because we are the only ones at the resort other than the company busy doing their team building activities, we have the pool for our group. One thing that we noticed about the pool is that it is salty. We stayed at the pool whole afternoon. We left the pool when the caretaker told us to leave the pool because of the thunder and the lightning.

the pool

another view of the pool

the seafood chopsuey

We had an afternoon snack at the resort of pansit and halo-halo for my friends while have a cup of coffee. After the snack, we then confined ourselves to our room since we can still hear the thunder. Luckily every room has a television with cable. But due to tiredness, some of us fell asleep including me. We woke up at dinner time already.

Since it was already seven we decided to have dinner at the resort. We would like to eat outside the resort because we find the foods that they offer are quite expensive. We ordered for a bulalo and seafood chopsuey.

the bulalo

We stayed a little while at the restaurant of the resort since the view is great there before going back to the pool. Good thing the thunder already stopped, we can again enjoy the pool. We did not stay that late for we have to wake up early tomorrow to go Alaminos for the Hundred Island Tour.

The Beach Hidden in Bataan - Westnuk Beach Resort

the summer sun

It’s March and summer is already in the air. Me and my friends always have our summer out of town get together. And this time we decided to go to Westnuk Beach Resort in Morong Bataan. Westnuk Beach Resort owned by the National Power Commission and is located at the west of the Nuclear Power Plant in Bataan (hence it was named as Westnuk), inside the premises of the Napocor.

the road to Morong, Bataan

The travel to Bataan is a 2 hours ride, but if you left Manila after five in the morning, the two hour ride can become a three to four hours. We left Manila at past six in the morning and reached Balanga, Bataan at 9a.m. We have a quick breakfast at the Balanga town proper and then we head back again at the terminal to ride a bus bound to Morong. The ride going to Napocor is a one and half hour ride on a non-air-conditioned shuttle bus. Luckily, the driver is nice and have us seated at the passenger seat. And the passenger seat is the nicest seat in the bus especially if you are traveler because you have a good view of the road. The driver kind to tell us of Westnuk and warned us of the long walk we will go through upon reaching the drop off point at Napocor. The bus ride from Balanga to Napocor is a 1 hour and a half ride but we enjoyed the curvy road and the scenery.

Mt. Samat from a distance

Upon reaching the gates of Napocor the guards will already check your reservation and call at the resort to confirm your reservation. The main gate to the resort proper is a 3 kilometer walk, but the head of the security is nice to offer us a ride. Beside from the main gate there is another gate for checkpoint inside the Napocor vicinity. SirRaul – the head of the security told us that it is very hard to get inside especially if you don’t have any reservations.

Upon reaching the resort, Sir Raul introduced us to Kuya Teng, the head caretaker of the resort, to check our reservation. Unfortunately there was a miscommunication with our reservation as there are no available rooms left and the only available are the open cottages. They let us use the cottage and guarantee us that once there are cancellations of room reservation we will be informed immediately.

the relaxing view of the beach

The cottage was nice and inviting. Once we settled at the cottage, we immediately laid down at the wooden flooring to rest from the long travel. There was a cool air coming from the sea plus the good scenery, we didn’t dare complain even we did not have a room to stay. There was even electrical outlet at the cottage that we were able to charge our cell phones and tablet. Lucky for us, there was a cancelled reservation and we were able to obtained a room for our group.

another view of the beach

There is no cafeteria inside the resort; they only have a small store that offers bottled waters, softdrinks, cup noodles and junk foods. Guests are advised to bring in their own food. If you were not able to bring your food, you can ask Ate Layka, the storekeeper, if they can buy you food at the nearby market. You will just need to pay for the gasoline charge of Php 250-300. You might think that it is too expensive but if you consider the distance of the resort to the town proper it is worth it, plus the food in Bataan is also cheap. For our Dinner and Lunch it cost us only around Php 600.

The best thing about Westnuk is that you will come close to nature. You will hear geckos, birds chirping, see small crabs running at the sand, and hear the cicadas sang their song. Also the staffs at Westnuks are all hospitable and caring for their guest. As much as possible they will attend to your needs and will always greet you whenever they see you.

The cottages at Westnuk

On our way home, we decided to walk the 3km road from Westnuk to the main gate of the Bataann Nuclear Power Plant. We wanted to see the Power Plant for ourselves as this is a rare opportunity for us. We never actually entered the Power Plant as it is prohibited; we took pictures behind the no entry sign.

The road to the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

We officially left the premises of Napocor at around 3 in the afternoon. And as we left the place, I realized that there are still unknown and hidden places in our country. And these places can be found on the most peculiar spot. Who would have a thought that hidden inside the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is where the treasure of Westnuk Beach Resort can be found.

It's Wicked!

my ticket

All of us know Dorothy, the Lion, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Wizard of Oz and even the dog Toto. But few of us knew the Wicked Witch of the West. That is, until Wicked came. Wicked is a book written by Gregory Maguire that tells the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. This book later becomes a Broadway Musical that won many awards.

I came to know Wicked through my sister, who borrowed the book from her officemate in 2010. So when we learned that Wicked would be performed in the Philippines, we didn’t think twice about watching the show. The Manila performance started last January 22 and will run until March 9 at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater). Evening performances start at 7:30 pm and Matinee performances starts at 1:30 pm. The show runs for two hours and 49 minutes with a twenty minute interval.

CCP with a big "Wicked" poster

Once you entered the theatre, you will be amazed immediately by the stage design. The backdrop is the map of the Land of Oz and atop the stage is a dragon head that represents the dragon clock. On each side of the stage is an intricately designed stairs full of wheels of machineries, vines and lightings. And every time the stage changes its settings, you will be amazed on how beautiful and well-crafted the designs are.  

the view of the stage

You might think that since this is a musical performance that it would be boring and you will end up listening sappy songs, but your perception is wrong. Wicked is full of humorous character, from Galinda to Madame Morrible, Fiyero and even Elphaba, that can throw the punch line even while singing. And every time that a musical number is finished, you will hear the thunderous claps coming from the audience especially when Elphaba and Galinda performed “Defying Gravity” – one of their popular songs. It was an amazing performance. It’s seems like the time stop as everyone is captivated on how the song was delivered. It was breath taking.

my binoculars

At the end of the show the performers received a standing ovation from the audience. Noted performances are from Madame Morrible, Fiyero, Galinda and Elphaba who received a loud cheer from the crowd.

a view of the people that have watched Wicked

Truly Wicked is a great story, as it is not only focused on the life of Elphaba as it also discussed on where “wickedness” came from. Are we born wicked or do we become wicked, and whether good intentions with bad results are the same as bad intentions with bad results.

And for those who have read the book, you might feel a little disappointed as parts of the story is different from the book. But still, you cannot argue on the great performance of the whole production team on how they relived the story of the Wicked Witch of the West.